Spathiphyllum plant named &#39;SPANOVA&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Spathiphyllum  plant named ‘Spanova’, characterized by its upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants; glossy dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large white-colored spathes that are positioned above and between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes; and good inflorescence longevity.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Spathiphyllum Schott.

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘SPANOVA’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum Schott. and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Spanova’.

The new Spathiphyllum plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new year-round flowering Spathiphyllum plants that have glossy dark green-colored leaves, large white-colored spathes and good postproduction longevity.

The new Spathiphyllum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in March, 2011 of a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20121404-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20071881-28, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Spathiphyllum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in June, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Spathiphyllum plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands since July, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spanova’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spanova’ as a new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant:

1. Upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit.

2. Freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants.

3. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.

4. Freely flowering habit.

5. Large white-colored spathes that are positioned above and between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes.

6. Good inflorescence longevity.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Leaves of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are broader than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.

2. Scapes of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are shorter than scapes of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are darker green in         color than leaves of plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Scapes of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are shorter than         scapes of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum can also be compared to plants of Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Sparanke’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,294. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Spathiphyllum differed from plants of ‘Sparanke’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum were more freely clumping and bushier than plants of ‘Sparanke’.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Spathiphyllum were broader than leaves of plants of ‘Sparanke’.

3. Scapes of plants of the new Spathiphyllum were shorter than scapes of plants of ‘Sparanke’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Spathiphyllum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Spathiphyllum plant. The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Spanova’ grown in a container. The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Spanova’

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. Plants were grown under conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Spathiphyllum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 22° C. and light levels averaged 5 klux. Plants were 28 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Spathiphyllum schott. ‘Spanova’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20121404-01,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20071881-28,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About eleven days             at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 215 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 240 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching plant             habit; overall plant shape, broadly inverted triangle;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Clumping habit.—Freely clumping habit, bushy and dense             growth habit; about eight clumps develop per plant.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About 36             cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of             inflorescences.—About 51.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 56.8 cm.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 25.3 cm. Width: About 8.3 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to             ovate. Apex: Narrowly apiculate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire; moderately undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly leathery. Luster, upper             surface: Very glossy. Luster, lower surface: Glossy.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper             surface: Darker than between 141A and 143A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Close to between 138A and 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Much darker and more intense             than between N 13 7A and N189A; venation, darker than 143A.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N137C to             N137D; venation, close to 143B to 143C. Petioles: Length             (excluding geniculum): About 13.7 cm. Diameter, just below             geniculum: About 3 mm. Diameter, at plant base: About 8 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Slightly glossy. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 137A to 137B. Geniculum length:             About 2.8 cm. Geniculum diameter: About 3.5 mm. Geniculum             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous             Geniculum luster, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly glossy.             Geniculum color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C.             Wing length: About 12.2 cm. Wing diameter: About 6 mm. Wing             color: Close to 143C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement and flowering habit.—Moderately             cupped erect spathes with columnar spadices held above and             between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes;             flowering structures arise from leaf axils; plants begin             flowering about five months after planting; freely and             continuous flowering year-round under greenhouse conditions             in The Netherlands; freely flowering habit, typically about             nine inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; fragrance, sweet and pleasant.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last more than three             weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 11.5 cm. Width: About 5.7 cm. Depth:             About 3.4 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Apiculate; twisting. Base:             Obtuse. Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture, front and rear             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly leathery. Luster, front             surface: Slightly to moderately glossy. Luster, rear             surface: Glossy. Color: When developing, front surface:             Close to NN155A to NN155B; at the apex and main vein, close             to 143A. When developing, rear surface: Close to between             155A and NN155A; at the apex and main vein, close to 143A.             Fully developed, front surface: Close to NN155B; at the apex             and main vein, close to 143A; with development, color             becoming closer to between N144D and 145B. Fully developed,             rear surface: Close to NN155A to NN155B; at the apex and             main vein, close to 143A; with development, color becoming             closer to between N144D and 145B.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Shape:             Columnar, tapering towards the apex; apex, obtuse; base,             obtuse; cross-section, rounded. Aspect: Close to erect,             about 20° from scape axis. Color, immature: Slightly lighter             than 160D. Color, mature: Close to 158D. Flowers: Quantity             per spadix: Numerous, about 100. Shape: Rounded. Height:             About 3 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Anther color: Close to             158A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155D.             Stigma shape: Ovoid. Stigma color: Close to 158D. Ovary             color: Close to 158D.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 37.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Close to erect, about 5° from             vertical. Color: Close to between 137A and 143A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Spathiphyllum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to     Spathiphyllum plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have been     observed to be tolerant to high temperatures about 36° C. and to be     hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 11. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spanova’ as illustrated and described. 